Thursday, October 11, 2012

Beer History I - The Never-ending Beer!

"Don’t drink the water, drink beer'" - St. Arnou, the patron saint of brewing.Here is the story of a miracle involving beer (isn't beer a miracle in itself??). I will not bore you with a self-review of my beer (for one day at least), proving that this blog is multi-dimensional, whatever that means.St Arnou was born in 580 AD to a prominent Austrian family. History resounds with his roguish ex

ploits in the armies of Rome.

Upon his triumphant return home, he became a man of peace and faith, converted to the cloth and was promptly declared Bishop of Metz, where he dutifully advised his congregation against drinking the unclean town water. Arnou warned 'don’t drink the water, drink beer'.

He later retired and moved to a monastery where he died on 16th August 640 AD. One year later, after the citizens of Metz requested that their Bishop’s relics be returned to their town, he was ceremoniously returned home.

It was during this voyage that a stunning miracle occurred at a town called Champignuelles. When the tired porters stopped for a rest, they realised mournfully that there was only one mug of beer to be shared. As this was clearly not enough, one of the men uttered a desperate plea to God for more beer. Miraculously, that single mug of beer never ran dry. Arnold of Metz was promptly declared St Arnou, the Patron Saint of Brewing.